


The Last Time

by St0rmy



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Affectionate married couple, Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Gen, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), So Married, So affectionate, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:20:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24852205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/St0rmy/pseuds/St0rmy
Summary: Time is ready to hang up his sword and begin a new adventure - raising a family - but the adventure with the Linked Universe crew stands between him and domestic life. Not that he minds; fatherhood isn't something he feels equipped to tackle. Lucky for him, he has a team of miscreants to help train him up.
Relationships: Malon (Legend of Zelda)/Time (Linked Universe)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 119





	The Last Time

**Author's Note:**

> A sincerely grateful shoutout to the fanfiction channel on the LU Discord. With a fandom so small and close-knit, it's nice to be able to connect with other creators individually to share stories or ideas or snippets or even just lament that maybe it's not your turn to have The Braincell but enjoy watching others use it instead. 
> 
> This story begins where Jojo's current "Malon" arc has paused (with Malon5). The boys have been at Lon Lon Ranch for at least one night and Malon has gotten to know Twilight's connection to their family.
> 
> Rated mature for suggestive themes, but nothing explicit. Eventual angst and heaps of feels.

The ranch typically wasn’t so busy as it had been over the past several days. Malon was thrilled, both for the company and for the help. Chores that would have taken her days to complete alone were finished in an afternoon thanks to the help of nine strapping young men and boys. 

Well, eight young men. 

The ninth - the tallest, gruffest, and most battle-worn of the group - had spent the first day of their stay showing the others around and pointing them in the direction of work needing to be done. Once they had things under control, Time began making a nuisance of himself at Malon’s side. He was away so often that his time at home was mainly spent doing chores and getting things back in order, especially in Talon’s absence. However, with so many eager helping hands working around the ranch, Time and Malon had more of a chance to spend time with one another. 

Now, if only they had any privacy.

Malon was elbows-deep in soapy water at the kitchen sink, marveling at how many cups and plates these boys could go through in just one breakfast. She precariously piled clean dishes on the countertop, stubbornly wanting to finish washing the entire sink before starting to dry. 

“Need a hand?” 

Time sidled up alongside his wife and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. She smiled, gently bumping her hip into his as though she was trying to shoo him away. “Well, if you wouldn’t mind drying some dishes, that would be mighty helpful.” 

Time reached around behind Malon to grab the dish cloth on her other side, deliberately sliding his hand along her lower back as he did. She didn’t need to look up to know that he was smiling. She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the closeness. No matter how far or long he traveled, Time always smelled the same: fir trees and fresh grass. She breathed him in deeply, her hands stilling in the soapy water as he brought his hand back to her waist, pulling her firmly against him. When she opened her eyes again, the tenderness she found in his gaze caused her heart to flutter. 

“Wow, you guys have some  _ very _ happy cuccos!” Sky chirped as he entered the kitchen, startling them. Time swiftly stepped away, a damp plate in his hands before Malon even realized he’d moved. “Is there anywhere you’d like me to leave these?” 

Malon turned to see Sky hefting two baskets filled to the brim with eggs. “Oh, thank you dear! I’m glad, we’ll need all we can get to feed you boys. You can just set them on the table.” 

She couldn’t help but smile at Sky as he excused himself with a polite nod. His was a gentle soul. Something about his demeanor stirred a protective instinct within her. 

“These boys make me worry, you know,” Malon sighed, turning back to the sink. 

“They’re smarter than they look,” Time intoned, setting a stack of plates into the cabinet. “They’re old enough to know that pissing off one cuccoo sics the entire flock on you.” 

“Oh, you know what I mean,” Malon chided, splashing him playfully. “In fact, this goes back to our unfinished conversation last night. You boys out there, putting your lives on the line, up against goddess knows what dangers-”

“Darling,” Time gently interrupted, “I mean it. They’re sharper and more talented than their age would have you believe.” He turned his gaze out the window over the sink and Malon’s followed. Twilight was setting posts to mend the hole in the pasture fence line. Legend and Hyrule were carrying bales of hay toward the barns. Wind staggered along hauling overfilled buckets of feed for the pigs. 

“Some of them are just kids.” Malon’s tone was tinged with worry.

“Well, so was I,” Time continued, busying himself with some silverware. “They’re all fine warriors, all very capable. Each one of them is a legend in his own land. In fact,” he continued, really focusing on shining up those spoons, “I think it may be time to pass the torch along and let these spry young boys take over adventuring.”

Malon’s hands stilled momentarily in the water.  _ No sudden moves, don’t make him spook. _ She watched him from the corner of her eye, waiting for him to continue. 

“There’s a...  _ different _ kind of adventure I’d like to embark on when this is all over.” 

“Hey, where should these go?”

Warriors swung into the kitchen hefting two very large bags of feed over either shoulder. His intrusion dissolved the moment like smoke on a breeze. Time’s brow furrowed in annoyance, and Malon turned a bit more briskly than she normally would have. 

“Oh, thank you, but uh... Those belong in the feed room out in the barn.”

The Captain paused, noting the subtle flush in Malon’s cheeks and Time’s taut shoulders. His eyes flitted from one to the other before he grinned. “Ah, of course. My mistake.” The kitchen door announced his exit with a bang. 

Malon sighed, turning back to the sink, shaking her head. “City boy,” she muttered, earning a chuckle from Time. They worked in amicable silence for several minutes, letting the tension fall out of the air before Malon pressed, “Well, don’t keep me waiting. What sort of adventure do you have planned?”

“Oh, well,” Time intentionally dawdled, avoiding Malon’s shrewd gaze, “It’s not necessarily a  _ new  _ adventure. It’s actually something I signed up for a long time ago. Something I’ve been a bit nervous to start.” 

She hummed in reply, a hint of bitterness creeping into her voice. “I seem to recall some things you ‘signed up for’ a few years ago that keep getting pushed to the wayside in favor of your more  _ worldly _ pursuits.” It was her turn to avoid his gaze now, expecting her dagger to stick in his ribs. She was surprised when it didn’t. 

“Not anymore.” His tone gave her pause and Malon turned fully toward him, tense when she realized he’d closed the gap between them. 

_ So close.  _ She felt his breath on her face and watched him work to keep it even, although his burning ears betrayed him. On the road, Time was capable of hiding his true feelings behind a stony mask at all times. In his own home - and despite his best efforts - there was  _ nothing _ he could keep from his wife.

“Malon,” he breathed, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. She politely ignored the slight tremble in his touch. “I don’t really know a lot about having a family, but I have to quit waiting to feel ready or else it might never happen. This is it.” He struggled to maintain eye contact, tamping down his nervousness. “This is the last time I plan to leave here... To leave you.” 

“Link…” She opened her mouth to argue, but he slid his fingers down the back of her neck, gently drawing her in. He glanced at her lips, then met her gaze again, asking permission. 

_ He was serious _ .

Disarmed by his earnest request, Malon inclined her chin and gently met his lips. He leaned into the fullness of her mouth, stroking just the back of her neck with his fingers, ever trying to be a gentleman. Malon responded by wrapping her arms around his shoulders, savoring the firm bodily contact. Lips parted after several seconds and they were both flushed, breath coming short and shallow. 

Time and Malon were used to being friends for quite some time. Being lovers, however, was an unfamiliar adventure for both of them, considering their lengths of time apart. Time was usually one to tread lightly in such unfamiliar waters, but Malon was a woman who knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to be direct about it. She cradled the back of his neck in her hands and pulled him down toward her, surging upward to meet his lips. They stumbled out of the kitchen window until Time’s back met the cabinet behind him, where Malon pressed into him with all her weight. 

_ This _ was what he always loved about Malon: her fiery passion, her energy. It caused his heart to bound and his blood to surge, the adrenaline of a fight with much more pleasing bodily contact. Her meaningful pressure against his lower body caused his breath to hitch. Their hands were everywhere, shoulders and hips and hair and lower back and neck, all the places they needed to touch but hardly ever got the chance to. Malon’s curious fingertips gradually became more pressing and demanding until Time felt the bite of her nails through his tunic.

Not one to back down from a challenge, he shifted his weight to nudge her back against the countertop. He leaned down to hook his hands beneath her thighs and rolled his hips against her as he lifted, pressing her to sit on the counter, pushing things out of the way as he did. The excited sound she made against his lips spurred him onward. His fingers tangled in her skirts, starting to lift the fabric as he shifted between her knees. 

“Hey guys, should these go into the pantry?”

Time whirled around in an instant, shoulders tense and hackles raised. He seemed to make himself  _ bigger _ to hide his flushed wife behind him. Wild stood just inside the doorway, dirt smeared on his cheek, holding a basket of freshly harvested vegetables. 

“ _ YES! _ ” Time shouted, catching everyone in the kitchen off guard. Wild raised the basket defensively, trying to make himself smaller. Clearly he didn’t realize what he’d interrupted, but Wild nonetheless withered beneath Time’s caustic glare. 

Malon placed a hand on Time’s coiled shoulder, stepping out from behind him and smiling warmly as ever. “Oh thank you dear, you did an excellent job! Yes, please set them in the pantry, and then you can head out to help Twilight mend the fence.”

Wild darted into the pantry and back out of the kitchen with more speed than he’d probably ever moved in his life. Time huffed, raking a hand over his face as he collected himself. “Sorry,” he started as he turned toward her, but he was cut off as the dishrag he’d been using slapped wetly against his face. 

He heard Malon’s teasing laughter before he removed the rag to see her smile. His scowl melted quickly under the radiance of her mirth.

“No need to be tense,” she chided, moving back to her chores nonchalantly, as if she hadn’t just been seconds away from having her husband expose her in front of one of their houseguests. “After all,” there was mischief in her tone as she submerged her hands in the sink again, “If you’re serious about staying once this adventure is over, we’ll have  plenty of time for _that_ very soon.” 

___

“Hey, do you think the Old Man’s been a little… tense lately?”

Twilight hefted the iron sledgehammer high over his head and brought it down square on the fencepost. Despite the gargantuan effort, he only managed to drive it into the dirt about an inch, maybe less. “What are you on about?” He frowned, taking a moment to lean on the handle of his hammer as he leveled Wild with a skeptical look. “He’s been smiling, joking, laughing. This is the happiest I’ve seen him in a while. Maybe  _ ever _ .”

Wild grunted as he heaved his own sledgehammer up, around, and down on the fencepost he was helping to set. Or,  _ trying _ to help; he barely budged it. “Okay, yeah, I agree he seems happy. But, especially this morning, he just seemed…” His face scrunched with the effort of trying to find the right words.

“Lascivious? Prurient? Concupiscent?” Warriors sauntered past lazily, a pitchfork over his shoulder and a knowing grin on his face. “Or, what is it you country boys might say…  _ Hankering? _ ” 

“Ew, no!” Twilight grimaced at the smug captain who chuckled at his reaction. 

“Oh, come on! You’ve been on the road, you know how it is.” Warriors set his pitchfork in front of him, mimicking the way one would cradle a lover in their arms, and elaborately waltzed around them. “After a long drought, even an old buck like him could use some horizontal refreshment.” 

“Okay, I only understood half of those words,” Wild admitted, his cheeks burning at the suggestion, “But that’s more than I needed to know, really.” 

Twilight shuddered, nauseated by the suggestion. He chanced a glance at the farmhouse where he could see Time and Malon in the kitchen window, sharing chores and chatting quietly over the sink. “It’s like picturing your parents having sex,” he muttered, hefting the sledgehammer high again and bringing it down more forcefully than he intended. The post sank several inches past where it needed to. “Shit!”

Warriors laughed aloud, relishing any chance to get under the rancher’s skin. He swung his pitchfork back over his shoulder as he made for the pasture, leaving Twilight and Wild to struggle with their work.

___

Another successful day of chores meant another farmer’s feast for dinner. This time, the boys shooed Malon out of the kitchen when she tried to start on dishes, insisting she take a seat and relax while Sky, Wind, and Hyrule cleaned things up. Time lingered on the porch alone for a few minutes before joining the group, settling in next to Malon on their small sofa. She leaned into him as he draped his arm around her, fingertips drawing lazy circles against her shoulder. 

As they lounged, the boys traded stories of their adventures, debating which were the most annoying adversaries they dealt with on their travels: hidden Leevers, pestering Keese, slippery Wizzrobes, or screeching ReDeads. 

“So it’s like a skeleton that  _ sucks the soul out of you? _ ” Wild sat on the floor near the hearth, his eyes wide as the color faded from his cheeks. 

“Less like a skeleton,” Time replied, candlelight lending his eye a reddened hue, “More like a reanimated corpse.” Malon shuddered at the thought and leaned more heavily into her husband who squeezed her shoulder in response. 

“Wait, so your Hyrule doesn’t have any?” Wind rejoined the group once the dishes were put away, pulling a cushion from under Legend’s arm (much to his distaste) and plunking down heavily in the middle of the floor. “No underground crypts?”

“No graveyards?”

“No portals to hell at the bottom of a well?”

Wild paused to search his memory, face twisting with the effort. “Not that I can remember, anyway.”

“Trust me, if you’d had them, you would remember.” Twilight leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms overhead as he yawned. Seated next to him, Warriors subtly nudged him in the ribs. When he caught Twilight’s eye, he glanced meaningfully to where Malon’s hand rested on Time’s thigh. Twilight didn’t want to see it, didn’t want to notice the way her fingers subtly massaged into the muscle. He glared back to Warriors who grinned, making a subtly lewd gesture with his tongue in his cheek. 

Twilight sharply elbowed Warriors in his arm a little too quickly, drawing the eyes of the few not actively engaged in conversation - including Malon. Warriors laughed aloud at Twilight’s burning face. 

“Hm, I saw that.” As Malon stood, Twilight’s heart sank. The last thing he wanted was to make her uncomfortable. But, to his immense relief, she stretched tall and covered her mouth as she yawned. “And I think you’re right, farm boy. It’s time to turn in. You’ll have to excuse me, boys.” 

“That’s not a bad idea.” Time stood too with a tired huff. “You boys should get some rest, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. We’ll be heading out after breakfast.” His declaration was met with a chorus of groans. 

“I was just getting comfortable!”

“But what if it rains tomorrow?”

“Isn’t there more to be done on the farm?”

“Aw, c’mon, just one more night?”

“Yes, yes, I know you all enjoy freeloading here. But the detour we took is just that: a short detour. We need to keep looking for the enemy, lest they come to find us instead.” Time’s tone left no room for argument. Grumbles of dissent gradually faded as the pair passed through the living room and made their way toward the stairs. “Get some sleep, everyone.”

___

The night air was thick with humidity, their bedroom windows open to catch any ghost of a breeze that might bring momentary relief. The moon was obscured by tall thunderheads that flickered in the distance. Malon lay gazing out the window as she listened to her husband getting ready for bed. Bed sheets were cast down around her ankles and she lay splayed out to keep cool. Her eyes traced the outline of the building storm. 

The edge of the mattress dipped as Time climbed into bed, sliding in beside her. He nuzzled into her neck just beneath her ear. “Tell me what you’re thinking,” he murmured, brushing his lips against her skin. 

Malon sighed but relented to his touch. She tilted her head to permit him access to her neck and shoulder, although her gaze remained fixed outside. He could feel tension in her demeanor and kept his touches chaste. “I’m just thinking about tomorrow.” She felt him lazily sliding his fingertips along her arm, stroking her patiently as he listened. “Getting up early to milk the cows before breakfast, wondering what I should pack for you boys to take with you...” She glanced down at his hand on her arm, considering something for a moment before her gaze returned to the horizon. “Wondering how long it’ll be before I see you again.” 

“It will be longer than we’d like but shorter than it feels.” He playfully tickled the length of her ear with the bridge of his nose, earning barely a twitch in return. He found it vexing that none of his gentle goading gained him any attention, and his tone became puckish. “I promise you won’t miss me.” Malon tensed but before she could turn toward him, Time shifted on top of her and pinned her bodily to the mattress with all of his dead weight. 

“Oh, no! Get off!!” Malon laughed and struggled against him, trying vainly to push him off. Her husband was like a heavy stack of sandbags on top of her, completely immovable. When shoving proved useless, she was able to extricate one arm and grab a pillow, smacking him with it repeatedly until he relented. He rolled off of her and onto his back, laughing heartily.

“Ah, there it is,” he chuckled, sitting up to litter her flushed cheeks with kisses, “That’s the smile I missed.” She playfully scowled at him in return. It was impossible to remain angry with him when he resorted to being her impish fairy boy again.  _ This  _ was what Malon loved about him: that despite his stoic and sometimes gruff exterior, Time maintained his lighthearted and playful demeanor at heart, even if she was one of the only people to see it. 

His playful kisses gradually became more gentle, more subtly insistent as he moved toward her mouth. She closed her eyes, feeling his fingertips beneath her chin, allowing him to coax her lips to his. She could feel the way his breath quickened as he pressed his lips to hers, the gentle way he clasped her arm, his body was asking her what his words would not. Malon hesitated for a moment, breaking the kiss and avoiding his bereft gaze. 

He cradled her cheek tenderly, his thumb tracing the arc of her cheekbone. His hands were rough hewn from years of swordsmanship, but his touch ever so gentle. “I meant what I said earlier, Malon. This is the last time I’m leaving you.” 

The first audible peal of thunder murmured in the distance. Malon lifted her gaze to meet his, and what he saw there stilled him: skepticism, mistrust.  _ She didn’t believe him. _ But why should she? He’d spent the better part of their marriage galavanting around worlds, solving others’ problems, slaying monsters, trying to be the hero. Here in his own home, he expected to easily defeat this beast that closed her heart off to him. But Malon knew that marriage was less like battle, more like farming. Sowing promises alone wouldn’t yield much; one needed to nurture them with care and time in order to help trust grow.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Her firm hand on his chest pressed him to lay back onto the pillows. “I deserve better than that.” 

His mouth felt dry and words failed him - not for the first time in their relationship. Time was a seasoned warrior, quick-witted and light on his feet on the battlefield. When it came to relationships, though, he tended to stumble and fall on his face more than once. Lucky for him, his wife was usually there to catch him. 

“I knew what I was getting into when you asked me to marry you,” she sighed, resting a comforting hand over his pounding heart. “I knew you might need to be on the road even once we started having a family. I wouldn’t have said ‘yes’ if I hadn’t meant it. I know who you are and what you’re about, and I’m no helpless princess locked in a castle. I’m not afraid of being alone, Link.” 

She leaned down to press her soft mouth onto his, startling him with her honesty. When their lips parted it was her turn to betray her desire, lingering closer than she normally would, her gaze half-lidded. Thunder rumbled more insistently outside as lightning flashed in the distance.

“But since I’m not alone right now,” she continued, gently tracing his lower lip with her fingertips, “Hopefully we can make the most of what time we have left together.” Time swallowed thickly as her words roiled his blood. 

Outside, the storm was slow to build in intensity, but it was inevitable. The rapid drop in temperature was both relieving and  _ just too much _ , its first touches on exposed skin causing goosebumps. Tentative raindrops gave way to thick, fat droplets that slapped against the windows, running in glistening rivulets down the glass. Trees swayed and arched in the wind, boughs sighing as they succumbed to its steady force. 

With time, the tempest became vivid and wild, an act of nature that couldn’t be delayed once set in motion. Rain pounded the earth, simultaneously quenching and punishing parched fields. Powerful peals of thunder shook the house, causing the floors to creak. The hiss of rain on the rooftop was so deafening that one couldn’t hear their own breath in the dark, much less the sounds of another. It was light and sound and dampness and pressure and  _ heat _ . It was all-consuming. They clung to each other as they were buffeted by the storm, helpless to stop it, savoring its intensity.

The storm raged into the early morning hours, a steady drumbeat of thunder and rain against the roof. As it began to fade into the distance, he drew her against his body, their nerves vibrating at the intense skin-to-skin contact. He felt something trickle between his shoulder blades: rainwater, or sweat, or both. She rested her head against his chest, eyes half-open as she listened to the rumble of the fading storm, the slowing beat of his heart. Feeling her relaxing into him, holding her in his arms like this, Time couldn’t imagine any other way he’d like to spend the rest of his life. 

_ This is the last time. _

___

By the time morning light broke over the farmhouse, Twilight had already been outside for the better part of an hour. The horses were turned out, stalls mucked, and stable floor swept. As he hung up the push broom and made for the door, getting ready to begin milking, Malon appeared in the doorway. She looked just as surprised to see him.

“Everything’s… done in here?” She glanced into the nearest stall, finding it pristine, and turned to Twilight with a grateful smile. “You boys are spoilin’ me!”

Twilight smiled bashfully. “It’s nothing ma’am. You’ve been so hospitable, it’s the least I could do.” 

“Oh it’s been such a pleasure to have y’all here.” She reached up to squeeze his cheeks between her hands. Twilight’s surprise at her displays of affection had gradually worn off during their stay, but he felt his ears grow warm nonetheless. It stirred a pleasant feeling in his chest. “When this is all over, you should visit once in a while!” 

The way his face immediately fell made Malon’s heart ache. “I don’t… know if that will be possible,” he admitted, crestfallen. She watched as a cloud of despair passed in front of his eyes. “We still don’t really know what brought us here in the first place.” 

“Aw, come now,” she looped her arm around one of his and started back toward the farmhouse with him, not a hint of deterrence in her voice. “When we meet again you may not be you, as you are now, and I might not be me. But there’s something special about you, farm boy.” She smiled up at him, her warmth quickly chasing away his clouds. “You might not have his nose, but the two of you are more alike than you realize. He always finds his way back here when he needs to. I think we’ll be meeting again somehow, someday.”

Twilight smiled shyly, and he discretely watched her as they walked. She was like a sunflower turned toward the sky, reflecting all the warmth and goodness in the world onto his face. It was impossible to feel glum in her presence. It felt… nice. 

His heart ached for something he’d never had.

As they entered the farmhouse, they found the kitchen bustling in chaos. The dining room table was set with fruits and homemade sweet pastries, and the earthy smell of coffee warmed the air. Hyrule passed place settings across the counter to Warriors who set them down the length of the table. Four followed him, placing folded napkins at each spot. Wild smacked Wind’s hand away from a bowl, spilling some of the flour he was sifting in the process. Legend poured himself a generous mug of coffee, dodging Wind’s misplaced retaliatory strike and snapping at him in response.

Time entered the kitchen later than usual and ignored the looks passed among the younger Links. He gingerly stepped around the chairs being pulled out, dipping his head to kiss his wife and accept the mug of tea she offered him before sitting down at the table. Taking the seat next to Time, Wind helped himself to a cherry tart. “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” he said as he turned to the older hero, “What was that song you were playing last night? It sounded so sad.”

Time took a long sip of tea before setting his mug down. “That was a song someone taught me years ago that I was trying to remember. The tune is supposed to affect the weather.” Malon paused in the kitchen. Time could feel her eyes lock onto the back of his skull. “I was hoping to bring some relief from the heat before we resume our journey.”

“So that’s why it was so stormy last night?”

“Maybe.” Time laughed, and Malon could tell by his tone that he knew he was caught. “I heard it so long ago that I can’t be sure I played it correctly.”

He felt a meaningful squeeze on his shoulder as Malon passed behind him, a wicker basket on her arm. “Be back in just a sec,” she called as she headed for the door, “Short just a few eggs.” 

“... And if you get too close, that’s when they catch you, right?” Wild’s sleeves were rolled up to his elbows as he whisked pancake batter a large bowl. 

“Wow, you’re  _ still _ hung up on this ReDead thing?” Sky yawned out as he entered the kitchen, always the last to wake.

“Uh, yeah! I’m a little freaked out at the thought of meeting a walking corpse, alright?”

“Why, would it look too familiar?” Legend murmured into his coffee mug, earning a sharp elbow from Four sitting beside him. 

“When you get too close, it wakes them up and they let out this… blood-curdling scream.” Wind hunched his shoulders and frowned at the memory. 

“And that’s no exaggeration.” Time leaned back in his chair, leveling Wild with a serious gaze. The others hushed as he spoke. “Your blood turns to ice in your veins, and you’ll be frozen in place where you stand while they creep toward you to feed.”

Wild swallowed the lump of nervousness in his throat. As he turned back toward the sink, a bulky shadow loomed over him, mouth opening to reveal rows of pointed fangs as it emitted a throaty yell: “ _ AAAaahhh! _ ”

Wild nearly jumped out of his skin, grabbing the nearest available weapon - a wooden spoon - and lashing out toward the shadow with lightning-fast speed. Twilight easily blocked the kitchen tool aimed for his face as the kitchen erupted into laughter. “You ass!” Wild took a few extra swats for good measure. “Did you really have to  _ scream _ ?”

“No, it sounds a lot like that!” Wind chimed in, “But higher.”

“ **_AAAHHHHHHH!!_ ** ”

The mood in the room shifted so abruptly that it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the atmosphere. Time was out of his chair and out the door before the others even registered where the sound came from. They followed his lead, grabbing whatever nearby weapons they could along the way - decorative swords from the wall, sharp knives from the countertop - and tumbling out the kitchen door. 

They sprinted past the barns to where Malon stood, basket forgotten on the ground, hands covering her open mouth. Time got to her first, taking her arm to pull her behind him, unarmed but guarding her bodily. Right on his heels, Twilight stepped up to her other side, a pitchfork in hand. The others approached, slowing as they took in the grisly scene before them. 

The cuccoo coop had been torn apart in the night, the remnants of its avian inhabitants scattered in pieces across the ground. Blood and feathers were flung in all directions as though it had been blown apart from the inside. “Some sort of animal?” Hyrule hedged, covering his nose with his sleeve to stifle the stench.

“No,” Time ground out, pointing to the trails of blood in the dirt. Although crudely drawn, there were characters plainly written in his Hylian. “Someone left us a message.” The others squinted and tilted their heads as they tried to make sense of the script. 

“Come… ‘Come play’?” Twilight glanced up to Time, watching his jaw flex in anger. 

Behind him, Malon growled and stamped her foot, drawing the attention of some of the boys. “Disgusting cowards,” she hissed, stalking toward Twilight and ripping the pitchfork from his hands as her temper flared. “COWARDS!!” She shouted, her fiery gaze sweeping out toward the pasture and back toward the farmhouse, searching for any other signs of intruders. “Come out and fight in the open! Show yourselves!!”

Time set his hand on her arm and she turned on him swiftly, ready to blow up in his face if he asked her to be quiet. He knew better than that, though, keeping his eye on her as he spoke. “Boys, do a sweep of the property, look for any clues you can find. Two or three of you can saddle up and check the perimeter, see if you can find any place where someone may have snuck in.” 

Twilight and Wild jogged off toward the stables while the rest of them split up, each heading in a different direction toward the edges of the ranch. Sky lingered nearby as Time eased the pitchfork out of his fuming wife’s hands. “I’ll get this cleaned up,” Sky tried gently, “You should go back inside, ma’am.”

Malon turned on him with fire in her eyes, but Time set his hands on her shoulders. “He’s right. Let the boys make sure things are secure, it’ll only take them a minute.” She fixed him with a glare that could melt steel, but Time stood firm. “Malon, please.” 

She jerked herself out of his grip and stomped off toward the farmhouse, hands balled into fists at her sides. Once she was out of earshot, Time sighed heavily, and Sky watched his shoulders slump. He couldn’t help but smile, turning away to hide it from the older hero. Malon had been right; they were all attracted to that 'spark.' The more obstinate the hero, the brighter his partner’s spark could flare, apparently. 

Sky swept up the remnants of wooden panels and feathers while Time brought buckets of water to wash away the blood. “Who or what do you think did this?” Sky asked quietly, standing aside as Time hefted a full bucket up. 

“I don’t know.” Time paused, reading the message over one last time before pouring water over the script, scrubbing it out of the dirt. “But I’m afraid it means we’ve worn out our welcome.”

___

The spell of peace that hung over the group during their short detour was broken. They spent breakfast making conjectures over what had transpired during the night, although none of them had found any clues or signs of forced entry onto the property. Time sat in silence among them, mulling in his own dark thoughts. Malon had recovered some of her temper but was still fuming over the violent invasion of her home.

“How many entrances are there onto the property?” Legend asked, sifting through his satchel.

“Two,” Malon replied, setting a gentle hand on Time’s bouncing knee beneath the table, “There’s the main gate where you boys entered and the loading gate near the barn.”

“Both gates were locked.” Twilight set his fork down, the first to finish his plate. “No holes in the fence, not even a blade of grass out of place along the perimeter.” 

“But a single person or monster could just climb through one of the gates,” Warriors added. “You don’t need an army to destroy a small coop.”

“Don’t you? I mean they  _ are _ cuccoos,” Wind chimed in, making an effort to lighten the mood. A glance around the table revealed vague disapproval, and he cleared his throat as he sank a little lower in his chair.

“When does Talon return?” It was the first Time had spoken since they arrived back in the house. All eyes shifted to Malon.

“Should be this afternoon,” Malon sighed, all the fire finally gone from her voice. She sat back and sadly smiled at him. She knew why he asked. 

Time paused, watching her for a moment before turning toward the group. “It’s time to pack up,” he announced, pushing back from the table. “Let’s be out of here by noon.” A chorus of chair legs squeaking against the floor answered him, and all the boys were quickly up and getting their things together. 

As they filtered out of the room, Time lingered a moment, following Malon into the kitchen. He stood behind her, silently wrestling with what needed to be said but unable to verbalize  _ anything _ . He ground his molars, frustrated both with the situation and with himself. He worried about leaving her, but worried even more that their presence here put her in danger. And endangering her alone was bad enough, but what about when they started their family?  _ They could be helpless. _ If he wasn’t here, who would stop a senseless monster from ravaging a nursery instead?  _ Useless hero, unable to defend your own home.  _ How could he look her in the eye if he let that happen? What if she was injured and alone, lying on the floor in a puddle of blood and tears, waiting for him for who knows how long?  _ Letting her down again.  _ What would she--

“Link.” Her voice startled him back to reality. His mouth felt dry as she stepped toward him, placing her hands on his chest. Her sad smile cut into his heart and opened up a very old wound, one he grew weary of patching. “You don’t have to explain. I know that you have to go.”

Time wrapped his arms around her, leaning his head down to rest his forehead against hers, forcing his breath to even out. He was always relieved when Malon understood what he couldn’t say. She reached up to run her fingers through his hair, to gently run her thumb along his ear. “Be safe out there,” she breathed against his skin, “And come back to me.” 

“Always.” His voice felt like a foreign thing in his throat, and he squeezed his eye shut as he buried his face in her hair. 

___

With the sun high in the sky, the band was packed and geared up, ready to leave. They each took turns thanking Malon for her hospitality and cooking, kissing her hand or offering small gifts of wildflowers found around the pasture. Time was the last to leave her side. Twilight dawdled near the porch, trying to convince himself that he  _ wasn’t _ spying as he adjusted Epona’s tack one last time. He kissed her ring; she kissed his forehead. Goodbye too painful a word to say, they parted in silence. Twilight could tell that she held her breath as she stood on the porch and watched them leave. 

As they approached the main gate, something glinting in the sun caught Time’s eye. He paused to inspect the gatepost where a glistening red stone was tied with twine. 

“What is that?” questioned Wild, noticing an identical stone tied to the opposite fencepost. He leaned down to poke it curiously. “These weren’t here when we arrived.”

“It’s a protection stone,” Legend spoke, appearing out of nowhere to swat his hand away. “It’s meant to defend against physical and magical attacks. It’s called-”

“Tourmaline,” Time straightened up, turning toward Legend with a smile of gratitude, “The same stone I had set in Malon’s wedding ring.”

Warriors bumped into Legend as they continued past, chuckling softly under his breath. “‘Good taste,’ eh?” It earned him a scowl in return.

Retracing their steps, Time silently led the group back toward the Lost Woods. 


End file.
